The rumors, sadly, are all too true. Nice n’ Natural, a Columbia tradition for over 28 years, is closing its doors. Long an oasis of nutritional lunch options for the health conscious living and working around the USC campus, Nice n’ Natural appears to have fallen victim to the stagnant economy and will be shutting its doors for good Friday, October 29, 2010. We learned of this sad news earlier today while enjoying a Friday Lunch on a perfect autumn day in the capital city. All of the Lunchmen (including frequent guest blogger Frodo) encourage all of you to head out to Nice n’ Natural next week for your last chance at their chicken salad, a fruit, nut and yogurt plate, or my personal favorite meatless Rueben. No word yet on the fate of Cool Beans Coffee, located directly above Nice n’ Natural (and home to totally legit lunch options in its own right). Thanks for 28 years guys, you’ll be missed.

From time to time, people (including Mrs. Tank) question 1) whether beer and lunch really go together and 2) whether I should order a beer at lunch on a random Tuesday. My answer: 1) of course they do, and 2) of course I should. I’m not suggesting that you should drink three beers at lunch - unless you are about to go play 18 holes instead of going back to the office. However, one beer should not throw you off your game unless you have the fortitude of Frodo (i.e. a 15-year-old girl). In Frodo’s case, beer for lunch is a game changer, and he should avoid it at all cost to prevent professional humiliation.

Most people don’t scoff at wine and food pairings, and beer should be no different. Rather, I’d bet that most things you eat at lunch in our fair city would pair better with beer than any wine. Turkey sandwich with Pinot Gris? Blah. TurkeySandwich with Shiner Bock? Delicious. Try having your beer brought out at the same time as your food at lunch, not before, so that you don’t chug it prematurely and so that the temperature stays right. If you’ve got a lunch including of a lot of cheese or bread, you’ll be glad to have a beer that brightens it up instead than a sugary soda or a sweet tea, I promise. Below you will see my top 25 beer for lunch pairings, in reverse order (unlike my companions, I can commit to a meaningful order). This list focuses on pairings that are available at lunch, and I admit my list would look pretty different if we were talking Columbia dinners. If you know of any good beer for lunch pairings I have not tried, shoot us a line so I can give it a go.

25. The Kingsman: Grilled Beef Tips paired with Killian’s Irish Red Ale is a fine order when the pork chop special is not available at the Kingsman.

24. Liberty Tap Room: Try the Dixie Chicken Sandwich paired with Liberty’s Unfiltered Wheat if you want to experience one of Liberty’s house beers.

This, as you would expect from the Rabbit, is a list of 25 of my favorite lunch salads in Columbia. The list is in no particular order, and I have had to reluctantly leave off a few good ones out there (The Consumption Salad at Immac comes to mind, but it is already on the Publican's list). A few more disclaimers – (1) some places have a couple of remarkable salads, but only one will make the list. (2) A few of the restaurants may be considered “chains,” but they are locally owned franchises so hopefully the Publican will let it slide. Finally, (3) a few salads may not appear on the current versions of their restaurant’s menus, but I bet Tank’s upcoming bonus that they’ll make you one if you ask the waiter nicely. If you have suggestions to add to this list, or a gripe about a current selection, leave a comment, we’d love to hear about it. As always, happy dining.

In a new series, The Lunchmen rank their top 25 favorite lunch meals in Columbia. There is only one rule: 1) No chain restaurants unless they originate in Columbia.

This assignment caused me considerable consternation, because I'm notoriously indecisive and particularly so when it comes to ranking my preferences. As a result, the order is somewhat arbitrary and has just as much to do with my feelings about the restaurants as the quality of the dish. Additionally, I'm sure I left out one or more lunches that would take the place of some in this list; so we would invite you to comment on your favorite lunches in Columbia, and we will post a comprehensive list of reader favorites at the end of the series. Also, feel free to lambaste us for our choices or praise our exceptionally good taste as you see fit.

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About Us

Rabbit, Tank, and The Publican are three dudes just trying to get through the work week here in Columbia. Rabbit is a Columbia native, Tank is from Charleston, and The Publican hails from Greenville. Rabbit's favorite lunch spot is the No Name Deli on Elmwood, where you may find him putting down a grilled chicken salad and a side of vinegar pasta. The Publican usually wants to find food to cure his all-too-common hangovers. Tank claims no favorite lunch spot - he lives for the thrill of the hunt.